Enslaved
by Word Nazi
Summary: Middle of Inkspell What would have happened if the Adder had released his prisoners to the slave ships before Farid and the others were ready to attack? This is a story on just that.
1. Chapter 1

"Yes, yes, this is quite the shipment you've brought in today

**AN: Okay, so, this takes place in Inkspell. The prisoners of the Adder are shipped off on slave ships **_**before**_** Farid, Dustfinger, and all the others arrive to bring them back. So, this means that Farid is not killed by Basta (yet), Basta is not killed by Mo (yet), and Dustfinger does not die by resurrecting Farid (NO NO NO YET! Because I didn't like it that way. lol) So yeah, Meggie and all the other prisoners (Barn Owl, Resa, Mo, etcetera.) are going to be sold off as slaves. : Lol, oh no. (Also if I've messed up terribly with a fact that is in the book, please let me know, okay? Because my copy of Inkspell is all the way across the country with my sister… I miss it. xD)**

**ONE SHOT!**

"Yes, yes, this is quite the shipment you've brought in today. Two yellow hairs… both slim, well, imagine that!" Boasted the slave auctioneer, Daz. "And you say that they can read, the yellow hairs?" Aamu, the owner of the slave ship, nodded.

"Saw them scribbling with me own eyes. They's smart, too. The girl cowers behind the woman whenever Blazek entered the cargo hold. Blazek says he heard the girl mutter a words in her sleep ever night I put him on guard of the slaves. Something like fuh-reed. Strange creature, that little wench… refused at first to tell us her name, refused to drink with me and me men. Blazek convinced her easily though, two lashings to the back, she was like mud in me hands.

"Now the older wench, though… she refuses to leave a dark haired man. Keeps calling him _Mo_." The name slipped awkwardly off his tongue. "Figured that be his name…" Daz was beginning to grow rather impatient with the slave trader.

"Enough, I'll give you forty gold coins for this shipping. You're in luck that I'm in a generous mood today, or I'd have sent you back to the Adder as only a head by now." Aamu's eyes widened at the threat. He gulped, but said nothing. "Shackle the slaves and bring them out, I want the yellow hairs in the front, keep this dark haired man away from them, we don't want any of the slaves getting ideas from the yellow haired wench." Aamu nodded and scurried back to his ship to unload the slaves.

"Mo," Meggie whispered, her voice hoarse from so many tears. "What's going to happen to us, Mo?" Mo looked at her sympathetically, wishing with all his might that he could tell his daughter that everything was going to be alright, but he himself had a hard time believing that. So did Resa.

"We'll be alright, baby." Resa cooed, reassuring Meggie while Mo could not. She hugged her family close, wondering if after today she would ever be together with her family again. For barely over a year, Resa had been with her family. She didn't want to lose them again. She'd missed over a decade of Meggie's life, and she wasn't planning on missing a single day of the rest of it. She ran her hand thru her daughter's silk blonde hair.

"I love you, Meggie, and I will _never_ let anything hurt you, not again." Resa felt absolutely terrible for what had happened to her daughter only the second night on the ship. Taken up to where the bloody sailors celebrated, drunk. They'd lashed at her soft skinned back, easily pealing away the flesh, if not for Barn Owl, Meggie probably would have been unconscious or in terrible pain for days. Mo rest a hand on Meggie's arm, gazing into her deep, blue eyes.

"We'll make it through this, I promise. We'll find a way out of this situation; we always do." Mo had always been a terrible liar, and to this day he still was. Another tear rolled down Meggie's cheek. She knew she would probably never see Mo again. She knew for a fact she'd never see Farid again, her mother again.

"Shhh, Meggie, it'll be okay, we promise you that everything will be okay." Resa was about to continue soothing her daughter when their inmates by the stairs let out a deep cry.

The man who had whipped Meggie was on his way over to them. Meggie shifted to behind her mother. Mo stood to do all he could to protect his wife and daughter.

But he couldn't do much other than that.

Blazek easily knocked him aside and off his feet. "You two, come with me." He said in a gruff voice. Like all the other men working aboard the ship, Blazek couldn't help but admire the beauty of Meggie and her mother.

Blazek himself, though, was far from beautiful. He was tall, fat, and had uncountable scars spread across nearly ever inch of his body. He was missing an eye, but his one, piercing black eye made up for the loss of the other. His nose was rather on the large side, and his lips were quite thin.

He grasped a hold of Resa's hair, making her let out a whimper of pain. Meggie tried to escape farther back into the corner, she tried to become nothing, but it didn't work. Blazek reached for her, but she scratched back at him, spat on him, too. Blazek, of course, had a more violent reply to that. He kicked her just below her knee, nice and hard. Meggie let out a fierce cry of pain and dropped both of her hands to cover her now bleeding knee.

Resa, reached for Meggie, but Blazek yanked her back by her fine yellow hair. "Get up, wench." He spat at Meggie who ignored him. "Isaid _get up_, damn it!" He reached for his whip, prepared to beat the young woman to a pulp.

"Get up, Meggie." Resa ordered, desperately. Meggie looked up with tear filled eyes. She silently obeyed her mother.

"PHANES! PEYTON! _Get in here and bring the shackles!_" Blazek shouted loud and clear, giving Meggie an instant headache.

For the past four weeks, Meggie had seen only one thing other than this cargo hold of the ship, and that was the top deck where the men of the boat had forced her to drink with them. Every night for four weeks Meggie had had far more rum than Mo had ever tried to gulp down. As much as she hated it, Meggie now craved the rum more than water. Every night Meggie had found herself sick, often she'd wake up from the trance and find herself kissing one of the men with the ship. Several times the man had been Blazek.

Meggie swayed, but tried her best to stay on her aching feet. Her right leg throbbed where Blazek had kicked her. By now, Mo had regained his footing and was ready to charge and Blazek, he had hurt his daughter and his wife _far_ too much, now. He had crossed the line long ago, but never before had Mo felt this furious. He felt like murdering the man before him.

Someone behind him pulled him back off his feet. "What the hell?!" Mo whispered, infuriated at whoever it was. It was Barn Owl. He had a surprisingly strong grip for an old man. "Let _go_ of me!" Mo ordered, but Barn Owl didn't budge.

"He'll hurt them more if you interfere. He _likes_ irritating you, why do you think you're still alive, they wouldn't have lost much money with you dead. They'll keep _them_," He nodded towards Resa and Meggie. "Alive. They alone could bring in a fortune that could put these men each on throwns of their own You're lucky that none of them have thought to kidnap them… yet." When Mo looked back up to where Meggie and Resa had stood moments before, he saw nothing.

"Where'd they go?!" Mo demanded to know. Barn Owl had fooled him.

"Up to the top of the deck, we've reached port." Barn Owl said monotonously. "They're going to sell us." The old man had barely accepted their fate. For the past four weeks, they had all been crammed into the small cargo old… slave cargo. And now they were going to be sold off as _objects_.

"Ah, the yellow hairs, what would be your names, ladies?" Resa glared at Daz as he spoke. Meggie was definitely still in pain from the night before. How could men be so cruel to a young girl? Make her drink, kiss, and dance with them as they pleased? Her daughter was _not_ supposed to be the entertainment of older men.

The shackles held tightly to her wrists behind her back and then at her ankles. The same held for Meggie. Phanes and Peyton had already gone back to shackle the rest of the prisoners on the boat. The prisoners included Mo. Meggie, Resa, Daz, Aamu, and Blazek all stood to the side of the ramp coming down from the ship. Blazek yanked again at Resa's hair, signaling for her to answer.

"Resa, sir." She said, and then spoke for Meggie, too. "And this is my daughter, Meggie, sir." When Resa had been trapped in the Inkworld before, she had learned to treat anyone threatening as her superior, she had learned to call them by sir or ma'am, and speak when spoken to. _Only_ when spoken to.

"Is she mute?" Daz motioned to Meggie. Resa shook her head.

"No sir, my daughter is not mute."

"Then let her answer my questions, wench!" He slapped Resa across the face. Meggie gasped.

"Resa!" She tried to reach out to her mother, but nearly fell in the process. Blazek jerked her back by her hair.

"How old are you, girl?" Daz asked Meggie, as he fiddled with a strand of her hair. "So soft…" He murmured. Meggie diverted her eyes to the ground.

"Th-thirteen." She stuttered. Daz grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his eyes.

"_Look_ at me when I speak to you, and address me as _sir_ as your mother did. Now let me ask you again, how old are you, wench?"

"Thirteen." She said, and then added, "Sir."

"Thirteen… mmm… and being such a beauty as you are, I assume you've been wed." Meggie stared at him wide eyed.

"N-no… sir, of course not." She had to fight from putting her head down. She was still dizzy from all the alcohol from the past few weeks. Every night she got off drinking as little as they allowed her to, but that didn't mean she had little to drink. Nearly every night they had her get drunk so she'd "loosen up" and have some "fun".

"Well, did any of the men on that boat take you to bed?" Meggie felt her cheeks turn bright red, embarrassed at the thought of it.

"No. No sir, at least, not that I remember." She felt ashamed admitting it, and why was she admitting it to this man who was probably as bad as the rest? Meggie felt Resa staring at her, but she did not turn her mother's way. Daz cracked a smile.

"Not that you remember, eh? What do you mean by that?"

Meggie played with her fingers behind her back, not wanting to admit that she had been forced drunk nearly every night since their departure.

"Sir, if you'd allow me to speak?" Daz glared at Resa, but nodded. "The crew on that ship forced my daughter to drink every night; I'd be surprised if she could recall over half of the journey, sir." Daz's smile only widened.

"Is this so, Blazek?" The beast behind Resa and Meggie laughed in response, then said,

"Of course, sir. We couldn't let a beauty like her be sold without a trial, first, sir." Meggie felt her stomach flip, her eyes began to sting, and any minute now, she knew she would be in tears.

"Did you damage the girl?" Daz asked, as if getting a girl of Meggie's age was quite alright.

"A bit, only disciplinary, of course. Nothing like what she'll get when she's sold, sir."

"And where is the damage, visible I presume?"

"Of course, sir. Right on her back." He patted her hard where the welts from the lashings were. Meggie let out a shriek of pain.

"Well, well, well, I shall have a look to see how bad the damage is myself to see if I'll have to lower the cost on this lovely wench." Meggie felt terrible as if she were cattle about to be slaughtered, or a sweater with juice spilled on it that hadn't even been purchased yet. Barn Owl had had to cut the back of Meggie's dress down to the middle of her back to mend the lashes Blazek had put on her back. It tied at her neck now, thanks to Resa.

Blazek turned Meggie around so her back was to Daz and her eyes had to focus on Blazek's sweaty chest. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Daz grinned wickedly, he was going to play with this young girl a bit, so she was ready and alert when it came time for the auctions. He saw the welts, they weren't terrible, but they _would_ knock her price down a silver coin or two, because these would_ surely_ scar. But he was not finished with Meggie yet. He slid his hands inside her dress and placed them on the skin of her hips. Her skin was soft. Soft as a baby's skin and warm as a summer breeze.

Meggie jumped. Daz's hands were rough and cold, and they were violating her personal space. She stepped closer to Blazek who growled, but, still, Meggie kept her eyes shut.

Resa felt useless, terrible, and heartbroken. Here she was _watching_ her daughter be touched by older men and she could do nothing, _nothing_ about it.

Blazek gave Daz an inquiring look, one that questioned if he could turn the girl around again. Daz slid his hands out from her dress and nodded.

When she was turned around again, Meggie still did not open her eyes. Daz moved his lips to her ear, "Things will be _much_ worse than that where you'll end up at, trust me." He whispered, stepped back, and then shouted, "_TAKE ALL THE SLAVES TO THE AUCTION HOUSE! YELLOW HAIRS FIRST, OLDEST TO YOUNGEST, THEN GIRLS, THEN WOMEN, THEN BOYS, AND _THEN_ MEN!" _Then he started his way down to the auction house.

Resa and Meggie stood at the front of the line of soon-to-be-slaves. They were the only ones with blonde hair, or, as Daz called it, yellow hair. Resa's was a darker shade of blonde though, so Daz said she would go for _far_ less than Meggie, who's hair was one of the lightest shades of yellow he had ever seen.

Daz's men had forced all the woman into shorter, tighter shirts that covered only their breasts, and skirts that came about six inches or so above the knee. All so the crowd could see what they were purchasing.

Meggie now wanted only four things, to feel the warmth of a hug from Resa, to know her father was safe, to know that Farid was still alive, and rum. As much as she wanted to not want the rum, she couldn't help herself. She'd have to rid herself of this habit. _If I'm sold, please of _please_ let me be sold to a sober man…_ But Meggie wasn't even sure if these people knew what sober even _meant. _

As the enormous crowd quieted down, Daz signaled for Blazek to get Resa up on the stage. From behind the dusty curtain, Meggie couldn't see anything, but she heard everything.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you this _marvelous_ piece of art. This woman is not _only_ beautiful, but I am told she can read and _write_. She has not a scar on her body—trust me, we checked _everywhere_." The crowd burst out into laughter. "She is one of the few fair toned woman of our world, and a beautiful one at that… so… let us start the bidding at one hundred silver coins, ah yes, do I hear one ten, one ten? Anybody for one ten? Ah, do I hear one twenty, one twenty? Sold once, twice, _SOLD_ to the woman in grey!" Meggie listened carefully, she heard Resa gasp, and then Blazek came to get her.

"Now, my crowd, what I have to show you next is a creature so divine we'll start bidding in_ gold_. Now Blazek if you would please bring the girl up here, please." _Of course_, Meggie thought_, act like a gentleman_ now_._ When Meggie passed the curtain and began to walk up the steps to the stage, she heard all sorts of sounds. Cat calls, coos, gasps. "Blazek, show them her back." Blazek, far from gently, turned Meggie so her back was to the crowd. More gasps.

"You see, we had a little… um… problem getting this little tiger to cooperate at the first of our journey. We had her whipped, whipped so hard that no child could have survived." _And I wouldn't if it wasn't for Barn Owl_. Meggie thought. Blazek turned her around again. "But this child not only survives, but she's _thriving_. Do you see the glint in her eyes that have captured water? Like the woman before, I am told that this precious little gem is educated, _and_ can read and write. She has been trained for obedience, so fear not of her running away. All you need do to keep her tame is keep a whip nearby, that's what we've done, and it's worked marvelous, hasn't it, Blazek?" Blazek nodded. "She's been like mud in our hands, ready to take form in whatever we wish." Daz locked eyes with Meggie. He cupped her chin in his hands and forced her to look back at the crowd. His eyes held mockery in them, mockery that he was free and she was not. Mockery that he controlled her, she would _have_ to listen to him if she wanted to live.

_If._

Seeing as things were, Meggie did not _want_ to live. She was being taken away from her family to be a slave in some strangers home. And from the sounds of it so far, she would be abused.

"If an animal is what you wish." Meggie snapped, she bit at Daz's hand, catching his index finger in her mouth. She chomped down hard. Daz cried out in pain and pulled his hand away from Meggie the instant she let go.

She turned around to see Blazek already have his whip in his hand. She turned to run in the opposite direction of Blazek, but his arms were longer than she could run in her shackles. He pushed her to the ground, the cut below her right knee reopened. She pushed her shoulders together, readying herself for the pain.

The whip lashed upon her soft skinned back harder than she remembered it doing before. She let out a cry of bloody murder. The whip crashed down on her again, this time, she fell to her stomach. Sobs escaped from her chest, she knew she was going to die, she just knew it.

She realized she had been stupid; that she would lose _everything _she wouldn't even have the slimmest chance of seeing Farid again, she was letting this man kill her in front of her parents. They were watching their only daughter _die._

The whip crashed down on her a third time.

"_STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!"_ Meggie heard someone roar from the crowd. The auction house went silent, all but for the sobbing duo Meggie heard and recognized as her parents, Mo and Resa. She tried to look up to see who had saved her from a fourth lashing, but her head felt as if it weighed the same as an elephant. "I will purchase this fair maiden for one thousand gold coins." The voice was closer now, loud, but quiet. Meggie could feel herself slipping away. She felt someone pick her up from the stage.

"Barn Owl… help…" Meggie whispered, waves of darkness crashing upon her.

"Who?" The voice questioned.

"The old man… in the back… and Mo… the dark haired one… my dad…" Meggie could no longer fight off the waves of darkness. Content, she let them engulf her.

**AN: I'd like to thank Alexa Daley (My beta. :P) for editing and revising this for me, and I was totally kidding about this being a one-shot, I don't write shorty-stories. xD Next chapter will be... FARID'S POV! **

**REVIEW!!**

**WEIVER!!**


	2. Chapter 2

AN Hey everybody

**AN Hey everybody! It's Word Nazi (duh!)! Dude, writing this chapter was SO tear jerking. I couldn't help but feel bad for Farid! I kinda made Dustfinger seem like a jerk, but, just a forewarning, he's just stressed, he's upset, too. You know, because he did love Resa and all and now she's gone... so yeah. Oh, and, also, before I get any questions on the time thing in this, Meggie and the prisoners (that'd be a cool band name. xD) are about four weeks ahead, this chapter happens before the first chapter. This happens the day they were all supposed to be released... so yeah... (Wow, talk about a run on...) Alright, read on... AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!! .**

Farid sat perched atop a tree that had the perfect view of the path leading down from the Adder's castle. "Come on..." He whispered. The sun was nearly at its highest point in the day already, and he'd seen not one prisoner leave that awful prison. 'Where's Meggie?' That question and several others raced through his mind. "What if he doesn't let them go?" The realization for Farid was awful, but so was the Adder--from what he'd heard and witnessed with Meggie being taken away.

Farid had been on guard for nearly two hours now and he was losing his hope. He couldn't let Meggie be tortured in that wretched place any longer... he decided then that if Meggie and the other prisoners weren't released by dusk, he, Farid, would release them himself.

"Farid!" A voice called up the tree, making Farid lose his balance on his branch and nearly fall off. He looked down to see who it was. Dustfinger. Was he coming to replace Farid on guard? If he was, Farid would refuse to leave his post, he wouldn't leave until he saw Meggie walk down that path. He couldn't leave Meggie. He wouldn't leave Meggie.

"What?" He called back in a whisper, still being cautious in case the Adder had extra guards out in the forest.

"We've come across... a discovery." Dustfinger paused for a moment--he hesitated. The hairs on the back of Farid's neck stood on end, why was Dustfinger nervous? "About the prisoners. About Silvertongue and Meggie." Farid's eyes opened wide. 'What's happened to Meggie?!' He wanted to ask. 'They didn't hurt them, did they?' He nearly screamed. But he kept his voice low and asked the more rational question.

"What discovery?" And, again in answer, Dustfinger hesitated.

"Come down here, then we'll talk about it." He bargained.

"I can't. I have to stay on watch, I have to watch for Meggie. What if they leave while—"

"Farid, get. Down. Here." Farid shook his head.

"Not until I see Meggie."

"Farid! Get your bloody ass down here! And THEN we'll talk about it!" Again, Farid shook his head.

"I have to stay here. I have to stay o-on watch." He repeated. "Just tell me what the discovery is." Farid had to hold tight to the branch, he had nearly lost his balance while talking. Something wasn't right. Usually Dustfinger was blunt when it came to information. He would check to make sure no one was around first, were they surrounded? That would answer for Dustfinger being so nervous, but why wasn't he warning him? Why didn't he give him a signal? What could possibly be going--

"Damn it, Farid! You want to know what's happened?!" Dustfinger yelled out in agitation. "The Adder tricked us! The bastard tricked us!" Farid cringed, he had never heard Dustfinger curse like this before, not so profusely. Again, Farid nearly fell off his branch. "He sent them out at midnight! He knew we were out here! They're gone, boy! They're long gone. They're probably already on slave ships to another land--there's nothing we can do about that now, boy! Meggie is GONE! You will never see her again!"

A tear rolled down Farid's cheek. He had let Meggie slip right through his fingers. "Can't we go after--"

"Damn it! No Farid! We can't! If you haven't realized this already, I DON'T have a ship of my own! Not even a sail boat! They're gone and there's nothing we can do about that now. We're going to leave by dusk. We're going back to (WHAT IS THE PLACE WHERE ROXANNE LIVES?). Be ready to leave by dusk." With that, Dustfinger walked off and left Farid to be miserable on his own.

"Why?" He choked out between sobs. "I'll never see her again!" He hit the tree with a full fist, causing a cut to form on his hand. He took his face in his hands and sobbed. Meggie was gone. There was no way to rescue her now, either. Farid had let the bad guys take her away. It was his fault. He shouldn't have trusted that the Adder would let them free at dawn. He never should have trusted him. He was just as bad as the men he grew up knowing. This world was no better than his old one. Farid didn't belong here. Meggie didn't belong here.

"I have to find her!" He whispered urgently through his sobs. "I have to find her." He repeated desperately. "I... have... to find her." But how? How could he find her? He didn't know these lands. He didn't know anything about them. He didn't know anything about boats either. If the boats here were like the boats in Meggie's world, he wouldn't have a shot at catching them. Farid had never seen a boat in his world, but he didn't consider that terrible desert his home any more, it was only a terrible nightmare that he remembered.

"I have to save her." Farid whispered.

**AN Dun dun dunnnn!! Kk, I was kind of a mean little author… hahaha, impatient, I am. I got excited so I didn't wait for my beta to reply. xP SORRY! Much love to Alexa Daley!! You should check out her stories, too! They're **_**AMAZING!**_** ;) Sorry sorry, Alexa! I just couldn't wait any longer! You know how it is with new chapters… new reviews… IT'S LIKE SUMMER!**

**OMIGAWD SUMMER! FIVE WEEKS YOU GUYS! FIVE WEEKS AND… (Cue music…) SCHOOLLLL'SS OUT FOR SUMMAH!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN ...okay, so... I got a little impatient again... sigh... I need to quit doing this. Is it harsh to give my beta no more than three days at maximum to edit a chapter? Anyways... yeah, I get a little impatient and excited so I post chapters without getting them edited... eh heh heh... silly me.**

**So yeah, silly me... :( Bad me. :((**

**OH EM GEE! I forgot to put in a disclaimer in the last two chapters... so... I DO NOT OWN INKHEART OR INKSPELL, OR THE INKDEATH THAT HAS YET TO BE PUBLISHED WHERE I LIVE! Okay, I think that works, so all you lawyers out there don't get a twist in your panties now. :P **

**Luv ya! Read on through the chapter now!**

* * *

Mo's left eye was sore and bruised from having wrestled with his captors. He had watched his wife be sold, he had watched Resa be sold. He had barely even been back with her for over a year, and, now... she was gone... again. They were being sold like rare books at an auction for collectors like Elinor--except Mo knew that he and his family (or any of the people being sold off as slaves that day) would never be treated as well as Elinor's books were.

"Now, my crowd, what I have to show you next is a creature so divine we'll start bidding in_ gold_. Now, Blazek, if you would please bring the girl up here, please." Mo felt sick to his stomach, he felt so useless, so terrible.

Here he was only at most one hundred meters from his daughter and he couldn't do anything for her, but, still, he fought against his holders. He reluctantly calmed down again when one of them snaked their hands around his throat, ready to strangle him if he fought again. _I'm no good dead for them..._ Mo thought, and it was true, if he wanted to save his family, he would have to be alive to do so.

Catcalls and gasps emitted from the audience, Mo wanted for them to stop, he knew it was his daughter their sounds were pointed at. "Blazek, show them her back." A pain grabbed at the inside of Mo's throat. He had seen the welts on his daughter's back and it was only thanks to Barn Owl that she was still alive. He looked down at his shackled wrists and ankles, how could he possibly be of any help to his wife and daughter like this? More gasps came from the crowd.

"You see, we had a little... um... problem getting this little tiger to cooperate at the first of our journey." _Cooperate? No, the men on that ship hadn't done anything worthy of her cooperation. They, all well over the age of thirty, had wanted her to romance with them, to dance with them, to drink with them--Meggie's independence was what they had wanted to rid of, they didn't even care about her cooperation. _Mo wanted to protest.

"We had her whipped, whipped so hard that no child could have possibly survived. But this child not only survives, but she's thriving. Do you see the glint in her eyes that have captured water?" Mo could just see her eyes, scared and probably filled with tears. Meggie was far from thriving; she was scared like an abused dog. If she was thriving for anything, Mo was sure it would most likely be home.

"Like the woman before, I am told this precious little gem is educated, and can read and write. She has been trained for obedience, so fear not her running away." _No, fear her running away, fear me taking her home, fear me killing you if you touch a hair on my daughter! _Mo nearly screamed, but didn't because he knew he would be of no use dead.

"All you need do to keep her tame is keep a whip nearby, that's what we've done, and it's worked marvelous, hasn't it, Blazek?" Mo only wished he could see the stage, that Meggie could see him. But he was positioned in the back and unable to see much of anything other than the man in front of him.

"She's been like mud in our hands, ready to take form in whatever we wish." Mo instinctually jerked his chest to the right, trying to get to his daughter and take her in his arms. He wanted to be up there with her, comforting her. He needed to be. Hands clenched tight around his throat and he stopped

"If an animal is what you wish." Mo nearly jumped at Meggie's voice. It was cold and dark, nothing like the way it was when she used it to talk to him. Mo heard a man scream. Then he heard Meggie scream out in pain.

"Meggie!" Mo screamed, the hands tightened around his throat again, constricting his air. "Meggie!" He screamed again, but more raspy this time from the lack of air. He gasped, trying to get as much air in his lungs as possible, but he couldn't. _I'm no use dead._ He thought. _I'm no use dead. _

He quit struggling and listened in agony. The crack of a whip leashing down on the back of his child. _What if she doesn't survive? _Mo questioned, but then he being alive wouldn't do anything for his daughter. The whip cracked again and Meggie let out another shriek of terror and pain. A tear raced down Mo's face, followed by several others. There was nothing he could do, nothing at all. Not yet. The whip cracked for its third and final time. He could hear Resa's screaming and sobbing, but where? He wanted to be back with her and Meggie on the ship, at home, even if they had to stay in the Adder's prisons it would suffice.

"STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!" A man's voice roared, the auction house fell silent all except for Meggie's sobs. "I will purchase this fair maiden for one thousand gold coins." The crowd gasped again.

"Who is Barn Owl? I will take him, too, for one thousand gold coins." Daz dashed to the back with a man holding his daughter, holding his Meggie. Blood covered his hands and Meggie appeared unconscious. All Mo could see was Meggie and the blood covering the hands that carried her. Mo struggled again.

"What happened to Meggie? What happened to my daughter?" Mo demanded to know, but from the chaos of the line, no one heard a word he said. "She's my daughter, damn it!" Mo screamed, but still, everyone heard him just as well as they would have if everyone in the room were deaf.

Daz raced back to the stage. "I apologize for that little mishap." Things were calming down in the backstage, and Mo could hear what was being said again. Whispers ran from the crowd up front, none of which Mo could quite make out. "After this next auction, today's routine will return to normal, but I felt we should sell all the educated at once." Blazek was making his way backstage; he marched his way all the way down to Mo.

"Daz's orders." Blazek snarled and pushed Mo's holders away. He dragged Mo all the way to the stage. It was covered in blood and made Mo's stomach flip. The blood, he knew, was none other than his own daughter's.

"This man can read, write, and we've been told, by the Adder himself, can doctor books. And, not only is he a smart man, but look at these muscles!" Daz grabbed one of Mo's arms and lifted it for the crowd to see. Blazek held his whip at the ready in case Mo decided to fight or something, but Mo no longer held the will to. If his daughter wasn't treated soon, Meggie would die.

"Let us start the bidding at five hundred bronze coins." Within moments Mo was sold, and to none other than a bookseller's hand.

"No! He's my husband!" Resa shrieked. Mo looked at her with the eyes of a sad puppy as he was taken off the stage. Another tear rolled down his cheek, followed by an army more. He glanced her way once more when he passed her by, not knowing when he would see her again.

One of the men by the door of the auction house released Mo from his shackles, and, then, he and his new master left the auction house.

* * *

Slowly, Mo rose to his feet and shouted... "REVIEW!! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!" xD

**Alright, so, I'd like you let you all know right now, because Dimensional Traveler is one of my favorite Inkheart FF writers, that Dimensional Traveler will be the Booksellers hand! Woohoo! Yay! xD Dimensional Traveler's character has now added some twists and turns in this story, so... BE PREPARED FOR SUBPLOTS! YAY!**

**And one last matter of business... who's POV should the next chapter be in? YOU DECIDE!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN Yay woohoo! Here's chapter four! Oh, and, by the way, if you have the chance, you should read Tithe--good book. Also, you should read The Looking Glass Wars, The Cry of the Icemark, Marley and Me, Vampire Academy, Tricksters Choice, and Beauty. -VERY amazing books that you ALL should read! xD**

* * *

Meggie's POV

The hours had passed by slowly and tediously, but, still, Meggie did not open her eyes. Meggie could feel a soft mattress beneath her and a light, but warm, blanket on top of her. The mattress was large, she had tossed and turned all night--or was it day? There was no light in the room, but there could just be shutters in the room--and not once had she felt she was near the edge.

She remembered everything to the point of being sold clearly and wished only that for once things would happen to her as they did in movies--she wished she could forget everything for once. Meggie feared that if she opened her eyes, she would have to face reality, face her fears. She would have to face that she would not see Mo when she opened her eyes.

"Meggie," A familiar voice whispered. "Meggie, you're okay. I know you're awake." Her heart jumped and her eyes flew open. She made the awful mistake of switching the voices of Barn Owl and Mo. A frown spread quickly across her face and she wanted nothing more than to go into a coma. A sob welled up in her throat and she contemplated to let it out, but she dared naught.

Barn Owl sat next to the mattress which Meggie found wasn't quite as large as she had assumed it to be, but that didn't matter. The room was dark, all but a candle lit that sat on a bedside table. The bed was grand, it was surely the kind you would find in the Hotels where celebrities stayed, not one a measly girl would rest in.

"Barn Owl," Meggie whispered. "Is he..." Meggie paused, trying to decide on the best way to word her question. "Is Mo here?" Her throat was sore and stiff, but still, she held tight to her tears, not letting them spill over the rim of her eyes. When Barn Owl frowned and looked to the floor though, the tears fought their way over, not caring what Meggie had bade them to do.

Meggie attempted to pull herself up from laying down, but even the slightest motion forward made her back feel as if it was on fire. She drew in a sharp breath of pain and whimpered softly, then, she lay back down. "Please do not strain yourself, Meggie. Your wounds were far more severe than they were before, I'm surprised you didn't snap in two when... well, I think that's enough of that. Would you like to meet our new master?"

Meggie said nothing, did nothing, she only lay in the bed staring at the eloquent ceilings and making out what she could of it in the dim light. She saw carvings of horses and pixies, centaurs and nymphs--or, she thought she did at least. She didn't want to think of who's room this is, but she had to thank her new... master for saving her sorry excuse for a life.

"Could you--" Meggie started, but was interrupted when the door opened and in came someone holding a candle. The person was a man, that much Meggie could tell from his frame alone. Not an old man, but not quite so young either. As he approached Meggie closer, Barn Owl jumped to his feet, bowed, and let off on a large string of words--most of which Meggie herself did not understand.

Barn Owl quickly left the room after that with the man's candle, and Meggie was left alone in the room with the strange person. He sat down where Barn Owl had been only moments before and Meggie was able to make out the details of his face.

His eyes were green and seemed to hold nothing but sorrow. His nose was straight and not too big or too small for his face. His lips were thin and positioned in a straight line. His eyebrows looked as if they were forever creased to look as if he was sad or worried.

"Hello." He whispered politely. Meggie couldn't help but smile, his voice was warm and light--like the blanket above her.

"Hi." Meggie whispered back, still nervous about who he was, despite his kind voice. The two remained in an awkward silence as the moments passed.

"My name is Louis Nicholas, but you shall call me by no other title than Master, or Master Nicholas, do you understand?" His voice was suddenly harsh and cold--distant even. It was as if he was lost in his thoughts, whatever they may be.

"Yes... Master Nicholas." She preferred having at least a bit of human in the title, even if he would treat her like an object for the rest of her life. Louis sighed.

"This won't work." He whispered to himself, no longer in the harsh and cold voice, but in the warm and light voice--but it was still distant. "What is your name?"

"M-Meggie, Master Nicholas. Meggie Folchart." Louis frowned, but pressed no farther.

"Are you hungry, Meggie?" He asked, changing the subject. Meggie went to say no, but at the mention of food, her stomach turned on her, growling away as if it were a wild animal. Louis's thin lips cracked into a wide smile.

"I'll take that as a yes." He stood up from his seat and began walking towards the door, taking the last candle in the room with him. "I'll send one of the maids in her with a meal for you as soon as they're awake." Meggie tried again to turn down his offer, but he was already out of the room, leaving Meggie in darkness.

* * *

**AN** **Okay, short chapter, I know. Sorry. So, you've now met the mystery man who purchased Meggie and Barn Owl. He is quite the developed character if I do say so myself (and I do say so.). I normally wouldn't post a chapter in an original character's point of view until they've been in the story and you know everything you possibly could about them, but... well, I need to write this chapter again, and well... it's going to be in Louis's point of view and then you'll see why he acted the way he did in this chapter. **

**BY ORDER OF DAZ YOU MUST REVIEW OR BLAZEK WILL COME AFTER YOU!! .**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Woohoo! I made the week deadline again! Five deadlines in a row, I'm pretty awesome, eh? Anyways, I think this chapter may possibly be missing a bit of emotion, but I had a lot to fit in and I worked on it all day yesterday.**

**DISCLAIMER!: Hola, wassup? My name's Emily, not Cornelia, you get that? Though Cornelia is a cool name... much more abstract than Emily is... anyways, yeah, here's the chapter!!**

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Louis Nicholas's POV**

"Louis!" Louis looked up from his book when he heard his wife's voice. "I've called your name several times, how come you read those silly books?" Myah hated reading, and Louis knew she hated the fact that he liked to. He went to answer, but thought it best not. Myah shook her head.

"Anyways, I just received word that one of our slaves was killed while in the marketplace. Neve I think was what they said her name was." Neve? No! Not Neve! Louis thought. Neve couldn't have died, her family had been with mine for ages, if she was dead, then Eros would no longer have a mother!

"Why?" Was all Louis could muster up, but even then his voice cracked.

"Because she's a slave! Are you daft? Someone probably wanted a little game and decided to kill some slaves. Honestly, Louis, sometimes I wonder if you've got a brain in that head of yours or if you've lost it in your books." Myah turned to leave.

"Oh, I came to tell you that Iris is going to need a new kitchen hand, so go fetch one at the auction." She added coldly, and then left the room.

Louis slowly closed his book. Neve was... dead? But he had grown up with her. When they were little they had played to be in love. And now she was dead. He would never see her smile again. He would never see her brown eyes, or hear her low voice... again.

"Louis! Go get a slave so we can have dinner on time, tonight, you know we've got a reputation to uphold and if we're a slave short, EVERYONE will notice!" No they wouldn't. It seemed like everyone was dying, first Rosabelle, now Neve... who next?

But Rosabelle had never been a slave, and that was why Myah hated them so much. She hated the fact that their little daughter had died while slaves continued to live with and among us. A tear rolled down his cheek, how could all this be happening? Sometimes he wished he could just escape into his books for once and for all and never have lost Rosabelle.

Louis hated to say that Rosabelle was dead, but she had disappeared almost a year ago, snatched right out of her bed. What could possibly leave him to believe his brilliant daughter would still be alive?

"Father," Louis's quickly wiped away my tears, put the book down, and stood up as Raphael entered the room. Being Rosabelle's twin, he looked an awful lot like her, but he acted none the like.

"Mother says you need to go get the slave--now." Louis nodded and then left the room, sliding his way past Raphael. He always sided with his mother--well, not always, just ever since Rosabelle died.

They make me feel like I'm the slave, not one of ours, but a slave with a master that shares none of my beliefs. Louis thought.

He made his way to the drive to see that the carriage was already waiting there. He paced his way over. "I assume she's already told you where to take me?" The boy looked down and nodded. His name was Eros, he was Neve's only son.

"Alright then." Louis looked down at his feet and then back into Eros's eyes. Neve's eyes. "I'm sorry for your loss." If he had had one on, he would have taken his hat off to show his condolences, but he didn't have one on.

Despite Myah's wishes, Louis pulled out my coin pouch from his coat pocket and gave Eros a fistful of silver coins.

"Thank you, Master." Eros nodded in Louis's direction, not meeting his eyes. Louis climbed into the carriage.

* * *

As Louis walked into the auction house, he saw a lovely woman on the stage with dark blonde hair, she was clearly a rare sight to see "Sold once, twice," He went to place a bid, but his mouth was too slow. "SOLD to the woman in grey!" It was hard to believe a beauty such as she could possibly be s slave, but then again, it made all the more sense. She was then lead off to her new mistress.

Louis made his way closer to the stage, he always liked being close to the slaves, it made him feel more human. Soon he was only behind a few people and had a perfect view of the stage.

"Now, my crowd, what I have to show you next is a creature so divine we'll start bidding in GOLD. Now Blazek," Oh, how he hated that man. He treated these people so terribly, so inhumanely. "If you would please bring the girl up here, please." Everyone knew Daz was no gentleman, but still, he put on the act.

As the young girl--no, not even that--as the child walked up the stairs and onto the stage, whistles and animal calls emitted from the crowd. Louis could hardly stop himself from staring at her.

It was Rosabelle! The girl before was my daughter! She was not dead!

Louis would have to get her home, even if it meant spending all the money he had, even if it meant losing himself. That is what a father is for, isn't it?

As the crowd quieted down, Daz began to speak again. "Blazek, show them her back."

What? No! Not her back! They had whipped my precious daughter! That was the only reason that they ever showed a slave's back. No, she is not a slave, she cannot be slave! Rosabelle is NOT a slave! Louis thought.

He braced himself for what he was about to see, but, still, the sight made him tremble. Three long, but healing, lashes rushed down her back, each in a different direction. His daughter, his child had been marked by a whip--but never again would a whip touch her, for he would have her back in less than ten minutes.

"You see, we had a little... um... problem getting this little tiger to cooperate at the first of our journey." Cooperate? Daz's and Blazek's men cared nothing of cooperation, what had they tried to do to my daughter? The thought raced through Louis's mind and he wished he could have been there to protect his young child.

"We had her whipped, whipped so hard that no child could have possibly survived." Louis cringed; they had hurt his baby, his precious baby.

"But this child not only survives, but she's thriving. Do you see the glint in her eyes that have captured water?" Louis could see his daughter's eyes, and he could tell she was far from thriving. They looked murderous, insane perhaps.

"Like the woman before, I am told this precious little gem is educated, and can read and write. She has been trained for obedience, so fear not her running away." Louis did all he could to prevent himself from dashing up the stairs to take his child in his arms again. He had taught her to read and write. He had taught her obedience, whips had nothing to do with it.

"All you need do to keep her tame is keep a whip nearby, that's what we've done, and it's worked marvelous, hasn't it, Blazek?" Louis glared as Blazek nodded his empty head up and down, making Louis want to take a knife to his foul neck.

"She's been like mud in our hands, ready to take form in whatever we wish." Louis shook his head and glared at the man who cupped her chin. It was all because his daughter was afraid. Rosabelle had never been through such terrifying events in her life.

"If an animal is what you wish." Louis gasped. Had Rosabelle lost all her manners in her year away from home? Had slavery turned her savage? She bit down on Daz's hand--by the sound of his screech in pain, she had bit down hard.

Daz jerked away and clutched his hand in his other. When he looked back to Rosabelle, she was on her knees, and Blazek had his whip at the ready. People throughout the auction house were screaming and shouting in terror. No one wanted to buy her now, she was insane.

"No!" Louis cried out, only to be elbowed in the gut and shoved to the ground. He could hear the whip crashing down on Rosabelle's soft skin; he could hear his daughter's screams.

The whip crashed down again on his daughter and Louis's breath came rushing back to him. He stood up to hear the whip crack down a third time on his poor child. If this continued, she would not survive.

"STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!" Louis shouted at the top of his lungs and the crowd quieted down. Louis was a well known man, but in the past year, no one had heard much out of him, not since Rosabelle went missing. "I will purchase this fair maiden for one thousand gold coins." He spoke only to Daz as he made his way closer to the stage.

He grimaced when he saw the blood that covered Rosabelle's back. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms. Rosabelle would be home soon, his daughter would be home at last.

"Barn Owl... help..." She whispered softly before falling out of conscious.

"Who?" Louis questioned, unable to keep the nervousness out of his voice. He looked up from his precious daughter. "Who is Barn Owl? I will take him, too, for one thousand gold coins."

Louis silently followed Daz as he led him back to where the slaves were. "What happened to Meggie? What happened to my daughter?" A man struggled as Louis passed him by, but Louis could not look back, Rosabelle's life depended on it. "She's my daughter, damn it!" The man screeched in Louis's direction, but Louis ignored it.

They dashed down the column of slaves, making it, finally, to the elder of the men. An old man gasped and whispered, "Oh, heavens, no, not again." Louis shot his glance to him.

"Are you Barn Owl?" The man nodded. Louis handed over the coins needed, had Barn Owl unchained, and rushed to get Rosabelle home and recovering.

* * *

The day had passed slowly as Louis, Myah, and Raphael waited for news of the girl's recovery. Barn Owl had told him everything he knew of the girl... and she was not Rosabelle. Louis told none of that to Myah or Raphael, if the girl had amnesia, she could fill in the missing part of their family. Barn Owl had kept with her the whole day and it was going well into night now. The only ones awake in the house were Barn Owl and Louis, the slaves, Raphael, and Myah had all gone to bed hours ago.

Louis stood to check on the girl once again, he had to figure out why she looked so much like his daughter Rosabelle. He absolutely had to. He entered the room, candle in hand, to find the girl and Barn Owl whispering. They ceased when they saw Louis. Barn Owl stood up, rushed to him, bowed, and then left the room. Louis took the seat by the bed where Rosabelle used to sleep in.

"Hello." He whispered, trying as hard as he could not to scare her.

"Hi." The girl whispered back most improperly.

Not only did she look like Rosabelle, but she sounded like her. And even now as she lay there nervous she reminded him of Rosabelle. But she was not. She was a slave and that was all she would ever be.

"My name is Louis Nicholas, but you shall call me by no other title than Master or Master Nicholas, do you understand?" Louis stated as officially as possible.

"Yes... Master Nicholas." Louis's heart broke. He couldn't do this, not to someone who was as close as it came to seeing his own daughter. He let out a sigh.

"This won't work." He whispered to himself. He couldn't be official with her, he had to treat her just as he would his daughter, that or get rid of her. But she was too fragile and was only a young girl; he couldn't let his wife and son down either. "What is your name?" He asked, hoping, pleading to the gods she would say Rosabelle Nicholas.

"M-Meggie, Master Nicholas. Meggie Folchart." Louis frowned, his hopes had been in vain and he knew it. The girl before him was the daughter of the man who had been pleading for knowledge at the auction house, she was not Rosabelle Nicholas. Louis could no longer deliberate on the subject.

"Are you hungry, Meggie?" Louis asked. In less than a moment, her stomach growled like a fierce animal, making Louis nearly laugh. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll send one of the maids in here with a meal for you as soon as they're awake." And with that, Louis left the room.

He made his way back down to his study and sat down in his chair to wait for dawn, for he could no longer sleep with the knowledge that Rosabelle was still missing.

* * *

**Okay, now all together on the count of three.**

**1...2...3... SAD! Yep, poor Louis. He lost his daughter and Meggie looked an awful lot like her, now isn't that just terribly terrible?**

**Okay, I'm not caring much about updating this story next weekend as much as I am with Secret Plans (a Twilight story of mine). I've decided that I'm going to write the epilogue for that before I write another word on this. I'll try to get that done this week so I can continue with my weekly deadline! Yay woohoo! xD I've been sneezing, like, every ten seconds and I swear that it's making me high. Lol**

**Alright, so, yeah... that was chapter five for you. 2000+ words. REMEMBER, WE STUDENTS HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO! 1-2 WEEKS LEFT OF SCHOOL!! YAY! Then we get 100 Something days away. YAY!**

**One question left, should the next chapter be in Farid's point of view or Emily's?**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Woohoo! It's Summer! And here's chapter five! Farid's point of view! I'm going to try to get a few chapters up this week because I'm going camping all next week and won't be able to update the story until next weekend! Sorry for the delay of this chapter, though!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own it.**

**Chapter Six**

"Jehan?" Roxanne called into the small cottage as Farid and Dustfinger climbed the hill behind her.

"In here, mum!" The boy called back in laughter. Roxanne, Farid, and Dustfinger all made their way into the small home, surprised at what they saw.

"Brianna?" Roxanne whispered. A young woman with flowingly smooth red hair turned her gaze from Jehan to Roxanne. "What are you doing here?"

"Taking care of Jehan, unlike his mother who thinks that she can go fight battles that are meant for men." Brianna snapped.

"Don't you talk to me like that, I am your _mother_." Roxanne said in a tone that she usually saved for bartering.

"Why of course, _mother_. I mean, what could be greater than raising your children--oh I see herbs are quite better, fighting seems more to your pleasure, and returning to a man who left you _long_ ago seems just to your likings." Brianna's eyes glared into Roxanne's own.

Jehan stared silently at the two women in his family, and then turned to glare at Farid and Dustfinger. He stood and walked out the front door.

"Seems the boy knows when to leave." Dustfinger whispered jokingly to Farid--but, still, Farid made naught a motion that he had heard him.

Farid stared blankly into the invisible void before him, he was preparing a plan to get Meggie back. And Mo, and Resa, and all the other prisoners of the damned Adderhead, too.

"And you wonder why I left this pitiful family?" Brianna scoffed. "You _never_ cared about me, mum, not after he," Brianna jerked her chin in Dustfinger's direction. "Left us. You only cared for my little sister, and your herbs, I didn't matter, no, of course not. Why on earth would I?

"I'm just your eldest daughter, the only relative of yours that has and ever will work in the castle of Ombra. And you still don't care, now do you? Of course not. Because you've got your _lovely_ little Dustfinger back." Brianna paused for a moment, then began speaking again. "You disgust me, it's a shame to call you my mother."

Finally, Dustfinger stepped forward and slapped Brianna across the face. "Don't you _ever_ talk to your mother that way again. If you hate me, then, fine, feel _free_ to hate me. I deserve it, I was gone for ten years. Ten bloody blasted years." A tear rolled down Dustfinger's face.

_Is this _really_ what Dustfinger had wanted to return here for? For... for this?_ Farid questioned inside his head.

"Don't act all noble now, dad." Brianna's voice cracked. "You can't just leave and then return expecting _everything _to be exactly as it was. Time waits for _no one_. Not you, not me, not mom. Do you know what happened in your years absent? No, of course you don't. Cosimo let me move into the palace to leave this wretched farm. Did Cosimo ever do a thing for you or mom? No. I don't consider you my father anymore, I don't need one."

Tears streamed their way down Brianna's face, and, soon, she was sobbing. When Roxanne tried to comfort her, she ran. She ran straight out the back door to where her horse was a took off.

_What a _great _life they have._ Farid thought sarcastically.

Farid awoke early the next morning to the smell of brewing herbs and the sound of Dustfinger's quiet laugh. He was sleeping on the floor of the main room, just next to the kitchen.

"The people where I was... they were all insane."

"Like the woman you met to have him?" Roxanne's voice suddenly turned bitter, cold, and distant.

"Dove, he's not mine; he's only a boy I found. And besides, I would never love another woman other than you." Dustfinger cooed into her hair.

"Prove it." Roxanne said quickly.

"Anytime, my love. Anytime, any day, anywhere. That's a promise." Dustfinger kissed her hair.

"Never leave me again." Roxanne whispered to him quietly.

"Not for all the riches in the world." Dustfinger whispered. "Not in a thousand years."

A yawn escaped Farid's mouth making Dustfinger and Roxanne remember they weren't alone in the room.

_Where is Meggie now?_ Farid thought. Is she alright? _If she's hurt, I'll kill the damn bastard who touched a single hair on her head._ Farid promised himself.

In his sleep, Farid had finally come up with the perfect plan. "Dustfinger," Farid addressed as he sat up, stretched, and yawned again. "Is there any close shipping ports?" Farid tried his best to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

"Yes, there's four, one to the East, and three to the West." Roxanne answered quickly.

"Why do you want to know this?" Dustfinger asked quickly.

Drat! I can't tell him in front of Roxanne! Not after what they were just talking about!

"Do you know if they'd be willing to hire me as a deck hand?" Farid answered, almost quizzically.

"They're always hiring, boy." Roxanne stated coldly. "But you're better not even asking for a job on a boat, that's a job that only lasts for a few weeks and then you're dead--unless you're a seasoned sailor of course, which I assume you're not."

"This is all for Meggie, isn't it?" Dustfinger asked just as soon as Roxanne finished. Farid nodded.

"I have to bring her back, she can't possibly be safe where she is. You said yourself that they were going to be sold off as slaves. And where I come from, the way slaves are treated is _nothing_ that would be good for Meggie." Farid paused.

"Dustfinger... I need your help. I can't get her back on my own, come with me, please. And then I'll leave you alone for good, Meggie and I... all of us will go back." Farid offered vainly.

Dustfinger stood silently for a few moments. "I'm sorry, Farid." A small smile spread across Roxanne's mouth, proving that she had won.

"Fine then. I'm still going though." With that, Farid stood and ran from the room, the house, the farm, and Dustfinger.

He ran from all he knew heading towards the Southernmost shipping port.

**Washawshaw! I'm kinda disappointed in this chapter, nothing really happened, it can't happen yet. Oh yeah, in case anybody was wondering, this was set about two weeks after the last Farid POV. So yeah…**

**  
R E V I E W !**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN Okay, yeah, so I'd planned on getting this up last night, but that didn't happen. Sorry. I've been busy with packing and preparing for camping to Lake Powell. :P Sorry, though. I'll be gone until Friday and I won't be able to work on this story--or any of mine for a matter of fact. So yeah… I'll try to write and upload a full size chapter on Saturday or Sunday. READ AND REVIEW!!**

**DISCLAIMER! Don't own it!**

**Chapter Seven**

**Emily's POV**

"And this is where you'll be sleeping." Emily said, spreading her arms out to the room before her. It was small, and she knew it, but it was all the town had to offer her. "You have the rest of the morning to get your bearings of the house and then you'll be meeting with Mr. Madison--the bookseller and our boss." She smiled at Mo, and then left the room.

Emily paced her way down the hallway to the kitchen where little Elsie sat peeling potatoes. The young orphan smiled up at her with her not-quite-complete set of teeth. "And how are you today, Miss Emily?" Elsie questioned politely as Emily put on an apron and sat down to peel the vegetables with her.

"I'm fine, and you?" Emily grabbed a potato and dipped it in the bucket of water.

"Curious." The eight-year-old said to her potato.

"And why is that, little Elsie?" Emily grabbed a knife from the counter and began peeling.

"The man you brought home today--where is he to work? You gave him the last guest room, so, surely he has to have a decent job, right Miss?" Elsie put her peeled potato into the pot for the cook to prepare for later and then grabbed another.

Emily grinned. In the two years that Emily had had Elsie in her custody, she had already learned proper grammar and etiquette--and not just for a slave either. At times, Emily almost felt as Elsie's skin were the same color as her own.

"That's quite right. He is to work with Mr. Madison and I. He is a literate bookbinder I'll have you know, maybe I'll soon have time to teach you to be literate myself--wouldn't that be quite an adventure?" Elsie's eyes widened. Until today, Emily had been the only literate of the household. Besides those who had formerly been slaves, Emily lived alone.

"Oh, yes Miss! That would be splendid! I could read all the books you keep in your library! Well... on occasions of course--like just before bed! I wouldn't have to go to sleep without a bedtime story!" Elsie's grin grew from ear-to-ear, exposing her tongue through the gaps in her teeth.

Just then, Harold, the cook, walked in followed by an aggravated Mo. "Miss Emily, this is the man you brought home this morning, yes?" Emily nodded. "He was found up the road, heading towards the manors, and he won't tell us why." Harold shot a glance at Mo. "Will ya, boy?"

Harold was one of the older and rougher slaves, but he knew his way when it came to the kitchen. He had fathered three daughters, all of which had been kidnapped or killed by the time they had turned twenty--and ever since he has looked out on the world and everyone else as if they were the culprits.

"He was probably just getting his bearings, but, thank you, Harold. Oh, and will you get one of the other kitchen hands to finish these potatoes? Elsie is coming with Mo and I to meet with Mr. Madison." Harold glared but nodded as Mo silently stepped towards Emily and Elsie.

Emily and Elsie took off their aprons and hung them on the hooks next to the pantry.

Mo's skin was bruised from head to toe and Emily was sure he was in far more pain than he let show on his face. Elsie reached for his hand but he flinched away, almost like an abused pet. But Elsie still smiled. She'd seen her share of shy and scarred slaves in her two years with Emily, but after a few months with her, you couldn't help but love the kid.

"My name's Elsie, and yours is...?" Elsie let the question hang in the air as she always did, letting the words float without a care in the world around Mo's head.

"It's Mo." Mo said in a distant and annoyed voice.

Emily, Elsie, and Mo made their way to bookshop in silence.

The bookshop was a newer building. It was built completely out of the reddest of bricks and the windows were glossier than any other up or down the street. New titles stood behind the windows with elaborately designed covers and bindings. Elsie stared in awe at the pieces of art she could not yet analyze, but she had a new hope that she would be able to by snowfall this year.

Emily opened the door for Mo and Elsie to enter before her, and then entered the shop herself.

The inside was even more spectacular than the out. The walls were covered in paintings and quotes from the artists of the Inkworld. Emily walked over to the front desk to see if Mr. Madison had left any notes or memos when she didn't see him waiting in the front of the shop, but there wasn't any.

"Mr. Madison!" Emily called looking back through the bookshelves behind the desk, finally she found him on the second story floor--in front of a table stacked with weathered and old books needing fixes.

_Well he sure doesn't waste any time, now does he?_ Emily chuckled to herself and motioned for Elsie to stay up in the front and for Mo to follow her.

"Mr. Madison?" Emily tapped the old man's shoulder, causing him to jump at least a foot.

"Damn it, girl! How many times do I have to tell you?! Notify me when you're in the building. Sheesh, I'm not going to make it to the next solstice if I keep you around, now am I?" Emily grinned, holding in a laugh, for she knew better than to laugh at the old man before her.

"I'm sorry Mr. Madison, I'll try not to do it again." She said with the most sincerity in her voice.

"And who's he?" The old man jutted his chin to point to Mo who was standing silently by the table..

"That would be Mo--the new book hand I told you about. Now really, I must be leaving, Elsie is in the front of the store and has got to get home to help with dinner. I'll be seeing you in a few hours, then, Mr. Madison." Emily and Elsie quickly made their way out of the store.

"Miss Emily, why is the new man so quiet?" Elsie asked as they were making their way back to Emily's house.

Emily thought about lying to her for a moment--but only for a moment. "You see, Elsie, you know how slave auctions no one really cares about keeping families together?" Elsie nodded. "Well, Mo was parted from his family--two golden haired ladies, a woman and a child." Elsie's eyes opened wide. _Two _golden haired women in _one _family? Emily had to be pulling her leg.

"In the auction, his daughter acted against Daz's will--and he had her whipped Very severely--no one even knows if she's still alive. Louis Nicholas was the one who bought her though, and I think I know why. Do you remember when Rosabelle disappeared?" Elsie, again, nodded. "The girl looked an awful lot like her." Elsie looked at her with saddened eyes.

"And what happened to the woman?" Elsie asked in a monotone.

Emily closed her eyes trying hard to remember who had bought the first of those who were sold. "She was sold to the old seamstress on Windsor Lane." Elsie cringed.

The old seamstress woman was hardly kind--but she made the best of dresses and everyone went to her shop. Emily had gone there on multiple occasions, and the seamstress's maid was always different.

"Um... Elsie, would you have Gregory get Mo from the shop for me? I have some... errands I need to do." Elsie sighed, but nodded. "Run along now, I'm going to be home late tonight." Elsie looked at Emily one last time, and then ran off in the direction of the house.

**AN GASP! What errands does she so suddenly have to run? Lol, only two people in this world know, but feel free to guess.**

**Next chapter will be Resa's POV! Then the story will return to Meggie.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN. Okay, so, I know it's been well over a week (two weeks actually) sorry… I've been busy with Summer, you know, swimming, going to the park, drawing--basically everything fun. So yeah… haven't really had time to write, but now I'm back! Woohoo! xD So yeah, read on!**

**DISCLAIMER!**

** I do not own Cornelia Funke's works! None of them--zip, zilch, naughta! Also, I do not own Emily, Emily belongs to Dimensional Traveler (Check out her stories! They're freaking **_**AMAZING!**_**) So yeah… that's the end of the disclaimer!**

* * *

**Chapter Eight  
Meggie's POV**

Meggie awoke to the scent of eggs and toast in the air. She looked over at the bedside table to find a plate of food and a folded up sheet of paper--she decided to go for the food first. Her stomach roared in glee, happy that it would soon be full, or, at least not empty.

She sat up slowly, ignoring the slight sore ache in her back and picked up the plate unceremoniously. She grabbed the fork that was set next to the plate and ate her food as if she was a barbarian, until there wasn't a crumb left.

"I have to escape." Meggie whispered to herself, more so to escape the silence of the large room.

Light scattered across the floor from beneath the curtains covering the large window. Meggie quickly made her way out of the bed and over to the window to peek through the curtains.

Louis Nicholas, whom she refused to call her master unless she absolutely _had_ to, was helping a rather mean looking woman into a carriage, then after her, he helped Barn Owl in, then he himself.

"This is perfect!' Meggie exclaimed in a whisper. She would be able to escape without a worry! Without any obstacles.

_But what about Barn Owl? He saved your life, shouldn't you get him out of this place, too?_ A voice nagged inside of her head.

"Well... Louis seemed rather nice, and Barn Owl didn't seem too threatened last night when he came in... I'll bet he'll like it here and would rather I never take him away from this place." Meggie justified.

_Do you honestly think that that is the right thing you could do?_

"Yes!" Meggie snapped at the annoying voice inside her head. "Unlike Barn Owl, I have a mom and dad to return to! I miss them! I NEED them! Why can't you just leave me alone and let me escape?" Meggie whispered harshly to the empty room.

The voice did not reply.

"Case closed..." She whispered. She drew open the curtains a bit so she could make her way around the room without falling or breaking anything.

The room was simple but, at the same time, it was marvelous. The ceiling was rather high, Meggie would have to say at least twenty feet up. A chandelier hung from it--not the kind of chandelier you turned on by flipping a light switch, but the kind they used in old movies. The kind that you actually had to light every candle on it.

There were two doors in the room, the one Barn Owl and Louis Nicholas had come and gone through last night, and one Meggie hadn't noticed until now.

She walked over to the new door, which wasn't really new, just new to her. And started opening it slowly, but when it started to creak rather loudly, she stopped. She had opened the door just enough to squeeze herself into it.

Inside, she found that it was a walk-in closet. Magnificent dresses hung from gold bars on either side of the room. At the end, there was a small dresser and above it...

Meggie stared in shock. Above the dresser was a painting. A painting of no one other than herself.

"Master Nicholas spent all of his time in here after you disappeared." Meggie jumped and twirled around quickly. Before her stood an old woman with a dress draped over her shoulder. The dress was a dark shade of red, almost like the one Resa had made her, but it was more elegant.

"So sorry Miss Rosabelle, Master Nicholas warned me you had a bit of amnesia. Not to worry dear, not to worry. I won't hurt you like those bad men on that ship did. No, I've been taking care of you since you were only a child. My, my, look how much you've grown up in this past year... well, it looks like your line of suitors is going to be far larger than it ever was before. Yes yes... Now, if you would please come closer so I can help you get dressed?"

Meggie stared at the old woman, surprised and appalled. She didn't have amnesia, her name wasn't Rosabelle, and her father had never even BEEN in this house!

All the same, though, Meggie kept calm, from the books she had read in her life, she knew it was best just to play along so they wouldn't get suspicious of her.

Meggie nodded and stepped towards the woman. "We'll have more room outside of your closet, so let's go into your room to get you dressed." Again, Meggie nodded and followed the old woman out.

After she had been stripped of her slave rags, the old woman helped her put on her undergarments and corset. "Now dearie, you going to have to take a deep breath and hold it, okay." Meggie nodded and obliged. She gasped when she felt how tight the corset was , but said nothing.

Next came the underskirt which the old woman had needlessly explained helped froof out the skirt of the dress.

After what seemed like years, Meggie was dressed. "I'll be right back." The old woman said as she entered the closet and then came back out with a ribbon and a silver brush.

"Oh, dearie, I suppose you don't remember my name... well, it's Tanya, and if there's anything else you need to know, just ask, okay, Rosabelle?" Meggie nodded.

By the time Meggie's hair was brushed out and braided, her head ached from all the knots that had been brushed free of her hair.

"Your father left a note for you with your breakfast, did you read it?" Meggie stared at her blankly, a note? When... oh! The note! Meggie shook her head. "Well, read it, it will explain for you what you are to do today. I must run along now, very VERY busy night tonight will be." With that, Tanya left.

Meggie silently made her way over to the bedside table and picked up the folded up sheet of paper.

_Rosabelle, I understand that you must be very confused. I'm hoping that maybe by seeing the area that you've lived in since you were young will help bring your memories back. I want you to explore the mansion today, go wherever you want. You mother (Myah), Barn Owl, and I are going in to town for a social. I'll see you tonight at the party._

_Your Loving Father_

_Louis Nicholas_

_P.S. Don't forget your shoes, they're outside your door._

Meggie stared at the note... okay, so everyone thought she had lost her memory, not okay. But they even had a picture of her in the closet...

_It's just another trick by Fenoglio. I bet he based this Rosabelle girl off of me just like he based the Bluejay off of Mo. Yes, that has to be it._ Meggie told herself.

She read over the note again and realized what it said, there was going to be a party... tonight. Meaning she had to leave immediately, before everyone in this place knew her.

She threw the note over at the bed and ran for the door. Once in the hallway, she put on what looked like riding boots--the kind you used when riding horses. They were white and completely contrasted the rest of her outfit.

But Meggie didn't care, no, Meggie only wanted to escape. .

She walked down the stairs, though her body only wanted her to run. It screamed at her to, to get out of this place as quickly as possible. I_ have to remain inconspicuous__,_ she kept telling herself. _I cannot run._

She put the pieces together of what everyone thought of her. So... she'd no memory of her life and was to explore the mansion to see if it would bring any memories back.

"Um... excuse me." Meggie said shyly, poking her head into the kitchen. She waited until the cook came to the door.. "Could you possibly tell me which way it is to the front door, I'm going to see if the yard will help bring back my memory." She said as convincingly as possible.

The man gasped. "So it's true..." He muttered and pointed in the opposite direction of where she had come from. "Over there, don't get lost now, remember, the house is East of the river, try to keep away from the river though, sometimes we have... accidents over there." Meggie swallowed the fear in her throat and nodded.

"Thank you... what is your name?" Meggie asked curiously, wanting to know who had just helped her.

"I'm a slave child, my name doesn't matter." He said and walked back over to the meal he was preparing.

"Oh." Meggie whispered and continued on to the front door. She passed several slaves on her way, but not a single one of them tried to stop her.

_I'll be back with Mo and Resa in no time!_

She opened the door to walk out to find that getting ready had taken longer than she had thought. The sun was already high in the sky, meaning her morning was gone. She stepped off the porch and headed for the gate, looking back only once to the room she had been staying in. "So long." She whispered to it.

"And where do you think you're going?" A cold hand fell on Meggie's shoulder as she was opening the gate, causing her to jump and turn around.

Meggie stared at the person who had scared her. He was a little taller than her, had blonde hair, eyes just as blue **(Or are they green? I fail to remember.)** as her own. His face was shaped just the same as her... it was almost like she was staring at herself, except that before her was a boy with short and messy hair, very unlike her long braided hair.

"Well, are you going to answer?" He asked, irritated.

"I'm sorry, what?" Meggie asked, trying her hardest to keep her act going.

"Where did you think you were going?" He replied, tightening his grip on Meggie's shoulder so much that it hurt. Meggie winced.

"My father told me to explore to regain my memory, I was doing just that." The grip on her shoulder tightened even more. "You're hurting me!" Meggie whispered, trying to shake free of him, but it didn't work.

"He's not your father. You're not Rosabelle. I killed her. I killed my sweet and innocent sister last year." Meggie gasped. The boy before her... was a... was a murderer?

"You look shocked that I killed her. But, you see, we were twins, I the younger of us and she always had to be the center of attention because she was _beautiful_ and the _oldest_. And now she probably only bones at the bottom of the sea. So tell me now, dear _sister_, how did you raise yourself from the dead."

Meggie stared at him in disbelief. _Tell him the truth which would have him think I'm insane, or give him some phony baloney he'll never believe?_

"Don't answer. All I know is that you are an impostor. You are _not_ Rosabelle, but you ARE beautiful, did you know that?" Meggie, still in shock, stared at him wide eyed. She was certain her shoulder would bruise by the morning, but had given up on getting away from him.

"Please," Meggie whispered through tears. "Just let me leave, I'll never return, I want to go back to my parents. Please..." She begged. "I'll never come--" She was cut off when his lips crashed down on hers in a very violent way.

Meggie tried her hardest to get away from him, but could not. In moments, he had her pinned against the stone wall beside the gate and behind a tree... where no one could see them.

The kiss brought up memories of kissing Farid, even though the two kisses were none alike. She wanted so terribly to be home, to be back with Farid, Mo, and Resa. To be back with her family.

He quickly tired of just kissing her and forced his tongue into her mouth, playing with Meggie's own. She felt awful, almost sick to her stomach. She felt the bile raise from her stomach and up to her throat, but somehow managed to keep it down.

Soon, he tired of that to and kissed her ear down to her neck and then roughly kissed her on the mouth again, despite Meggie's efforts to get away.

The boy pulled away for a moment but returned to press something cold just above Meggie's breasts. She opened her eyes, unaware she had ever closed them and looked down at what it was.

A knife.

"No." Meggie whispered through tears. "No." Meggie repeated, her voice raising and wavering as she said it. "NO!" She screamed as the cold knife cut through her pale white skin.

Meggie screamed out in pain, gathering all her strength to push the boy off of her. She jumped to her feet and ran towards the gate to get away from this place. She could feel the blood dripping down her chest and soaking her dress, but she didn't care. She only wanted to get away.

She ran into something hard, and when she looked up, she saw that it was none other than Louis Nicholas. Tears streamed down her face as he embraced her in his arms.

"Shh," He said, soothingly, but she could tell that there was a horrified and vicious tone beneath. "Shh, my child, you're safe now. You're safe." It was silent for a minute and soon Barn Owl was taking Meggie from Louis Nicholas.

"Take her to her room, do whatever it takes to make her feel safe here again, please." Meggie looked up to Barn Owl who nodded. He picked her up in his arms bridal-style and raced her to her room.

_Make her feel safe here again_. The words echoed in her head. I_'ll never feel safe again, not anywhere, _Meggie realized.

**AN. Next chapter will be up soon, I've already got the idea for it, though, it's not going to be quite as long as this one, because… well, it's not as eventful. But the chapter after it comes from Farid's POV! Yay! . Hi. Hola… well, not really, so ga-bye!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN I am SOOOO sorry it took so long to get this up! YIKES! I didn't mean for it to be over a month! This one is from Resa's POV, not much happens, I just felt we needed to know what was going on with her… Sorry sorry sorry… well, we'll get straight on to the chapter then, seeing as I feel cruddy for not updating this in over a month. :'(**

**Chapter Nine**

"Get up, wench." The old woman ordered as she jabbed Resa in the ribs with her foot. Resa groaned and stirred in her sleep. "I said," The woman took a deep breath. "_Wake up!" _She shrieked as she kicked Resa harder. Resa jolted awake.

"Clean yourself up." The woman demanded. "I run a damn well shop and you are not going to ruin my reputation by looking like a pig!" With her calloused and bony hands, she grabbed a bowl of water and splashed it at Resa's dirt and tear streaked face. Resa grimaced as the cold water struck her skin. It was cold as ice.

"Yes, ma'am." Resa whispered to the floor, but when she looked up, the old woman was gone.

Resa stood quickly, unfortunately she forgot how short the ceiling was in the room, and she banged her head against the hard wood above her. She groaned in pain and rubbed the back of her head as she slumped over to navigate herself through the room.

_It's more like a closet. _Resa thought. The ceiling was low, the room couldn't be bigger than seven feet by seven feet, and all she had for a bed was a skin-thin pillow and a blanket made of itchy wool. _It could be worse. _Resa told herself, trying to look at the bright side of things.

As she stretched, she discovered that everything about her was sore. Her throat, each and every single one of her bones, her stomach growled with hunger, and she had to fight to keep her eyes open.

_Mo and Meggie are in better places. Mo and Meggie are in better places. Mo and Meggie are in better places... _Resa chanted within the confinements of her mind. She reached for the dress and corset the old woman had thrown at her the night before. She dressed quickly, shedding off the rags she had worn at the auction and squeezing herself into the corset and dress.

She rubbed at her face with the "pillow" she had been provided, in truth, it worked better as a rag than a pillow, hoping her appearance was to the old hag's satisfaction, Resa ran her fingers through her hair and silently left her closet.

Standing before her was the old woman, her face full of wrinkles, her eyes a dark shade of grey--nearly black, her brown hair streaked with age. She was thin and hardly anything more than skin and bones, but she didn't look fragile, no, she didn't look like anything could break her.

"Can you sew?" Her voice was menacing and Resa could feel her body telling her to retreat. Instead, she nodded.

"Yes, ma'am." She said, keeping eye contact with the floor.

"Are you well at sewing? Don't lie to me, girl." Remembering the red dress she had made Meggie back at Elinor's, Resa nodded.

"I am, ma'am." Resa was tempted to look up and spit in the woman's face, but she knew that would do no good for her current situation. She could feel her stomach tighten, readying itself to growl.

"Good then, you may just make a competent worker after all." Resa's stomach roared with hunger as the old seamstress finished her sentence. The old woman cracked a wicked smile. "You've slept past morning eating." She barked. "You'll have to wait until noon to righten your hunger. Follow me." Resa did as she was told.

They made their way down a short and narrow hallway with only one door at the end of it. When they entered the new room, Resa froze in her steps, surprised.

The room wasn't anything she had expected it to be. One wall was completely covered in cubbies containing numerous fabrics, threads, and needles. The wall across from it was covered in shelves filled from end-to-end with books. There was a display window where three very exquisite looking dresses hung from a wooden pole above. The door was right next to it.

Resa turned around to see what was on the wall behind her. Quilts hung from the wall, each unique and beautiful in it's own way.

"Ahem," Resa jolted back to reality and faced the old seamstress. "You are to help with fittings, and, if I need you to, you will work on certain attires. Is that understood?" For the first time the old woman seemed calm and composed--but that could be just in case someone entered the store. Resa nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good then, go back to your room, there's a bell in there and I'll ring for you when I need you." Acknowledging the dismissal, Resa curtsied her best and lowered her head.

"Yes, ma'am." Resa said, keeping her sadness and agitation out of her voice. She had to stay strong to escape, she had played a very small part in Meggie's life, but Resa knew she had to stay strong for Meggie.

With the flick of a hand, Resa curtsied once more and silently made her way back to her closet. The moment she had the door closed she fell to her knees and put her face in her hands and began to sob.

**AN Okay, yeah, I know this was short—but the next chapter is on its way, don't worry! It's already almost done, too! Yay! I'll try to have it up by Tuesday. Also, if you have any ideas for this, let me know! I'm always open to other people's thoughts and feelings! See you next chapter! **


	10. Chapter 10

**AN Yay! I met my deadline! Isn't that just terrific? I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed to the last chapter! Don't really have much to say right now... so... here's the chapter!**

**Disclaimer Cornelia Funke owns all recognizable characters!**

**Chapter Ten**

The sun was hanging at the highest point in the sky when Farid finally sat down to rest. He looked down at his bare feet. He had been in such a rush to get to the port he had forgotten his boots--and now they were covered in blisters and cuts. He had long since left the marketplace, so he couldn't make up for that mistake.

But while back there, Farid had done his share of pick pocketing. He had easily taken two over-stuffed coin purses and kept them unnoticed in his fists. "Now I just have to find a place to keep them..." Farid whispered to himself.

In my pants? He questioned himself, but there were no pockets and the only other way to keep them in there would be rather uncomfortable for travel. In the end, he decided to just continue carrying them.

After resting for nearly an hour, Farid continued on again, upset that he had wasted so much time. By dusk, he had already made his way deep into a forest and could hear the sounds of the ocean nearby.

"...Fight me and you die, just like they did." Farid heard a voice whisper in the distance. In reply to that, Farid heard someone cry. From the pitch of it, Farid knew it belonged to a girl, a girl who sounded a lot like...

Farid ran, not carrying about the branch that made its new home in his foot. The owner of the voice came into view, he was holding the girl by her hair--and it was blonde. She wore a purple dress and Farid thought it might once have looked beautiful, but in it's current state--sleeves all but torn off, mud clinging to nearly every patch of purple, and the hem at the bottom fringed and soaked from the damp ground--it looked like a filthy rag.

Hardly even twenty feet from the girl and her captor were two men--the bodies of them at least, the white women had clearly come and gone with them already.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?" The man's words slurred together to make one, but in his life, Farid had learned to decipher a drunkard's words. The girl continued to protest, either not believing the man about killing her or she didn't care whether she lived or not.

From behind the two, Farid couldn't make out much, but he knew what the man meant by "fun", and for the girl, it wouldn't be fun at all--not in her current situation. Feeling the need to step in and stop what he couldn't stop back at his first home, Farid stepped forward.

"Get your hands _off_ of her before I _kill_ you." The drunk man whipped around, not bothering to get his hands away from the girl's hair and chest. The girl's face was swollen from tears, her porcelain white skin covered in blood and dirt. Tears continued to fall from her pale blue eyes.

Farid was torn between several emotions, rage, fury, pity, and relief and joy. He had found Meggie! He hadn't even had to step foot off land!

"What'cha gonna do, little guy?" Again, Farid easily decoded the sentence. Farid remained silent.

"_Step_ _away from her!_" Farid roared, lunging at the man before him, while the man had size on his side, Farid had speed and years of muscle building. He ripped the mans hands off of Meggie and tackled him to the ground, closing off all sound around him. Farid only wanted to make sure the man before him _never_ hurt Meggie again.

"Mother--" The man began to swore, but a punch to the jaw quickly silenced him except his groan of pain. Still furious with the sad excuse for a man before him, and feeling he hadn't received a proper punishment yet, Farid stood. Quickly he placed his foot on the man's left knee. The man whimpered.

"Please, no!" But Farid did not listen. He let all his weight fall on to the one foot. There was the snap of a bone, and then a scream.

"You little bastard!" The man said through gasps of pain.

"Don't even think to follow us." Farid said, turning around, grabbing Meggie's arm as he ran. They ran for a solid ten minutes before Meggie finally collapsed. Farid brushed his hand against the side of her face, confused when she flinched away.

"What's wrong?" He asked, when she didn't answer, he asked again. "Meggie, what's wrong?" Meggie looked at him with fear in her beautiful blue eyes. Why fear? Farid asked himself.

"Who are you?" She whispered. Farid stared at her agape.

"What are you talking about? You know me, Meggie! I _know_ you know me! I'm _Farid!_ Remember? I'm sorry I didn't save you from the Adder! I meant to but..." His words trailed off into tears. "I'm _sorry,_ Meggie, I did all I _could!" _When Farid looked up, Meggie looked at him with sympathy in her eyes, all traces of fear had left her.

"I... I'm sorry Farid." Meggie paused for a minute, turning away. "I'm not Meggie. I'm..." She hesitated. "Call me Rose."

**AN Alright, that's the end of this chapter! What'd you think? Farid will get the the ship port in his next chapter! Keep on reading! And reviewing! Next chapter will be back to Meggie--and you'll also get to find out what exactly Emily's _errand_ was. Well, bye!**


	11. ANNOUNCENT! :D

Oh. My. Gawd.

Guess what?

It's SUMMER!

Meaning, guess what!

I'm going to be updating my stories!

ALL of them!

I'll start on the updates ASAP, but I'm still kind of busy (work, ick, hate it!), but I REALLY want to start on them tonight... so yeah... I'll probably do that. : D

Also, possibly, new stories on the way! So, keep an eye out!

Sorry I've been gone for so long!


End file.
